Front suspension check

[ppeters914]

So, I have the wheels and hubs and calipers off to rebuild the brakes, replace the bearings, etc. Judging by the dry, caked grease and dry, rotting boots, lubrication of those twenty-something front-end zerks was not done on the recommended maintenance schedule.

There's a Suspension Check in the Tech Info section:

http://www.311s.org/tech/susp/susp_check.htm

Without tires and hubs, I can't get a lot of leverage to do most of those checks. Any ideas?

Also, would one just replace the ball joints, or if one component is bad, do you suck it up and replace 'em all?

Thanks.

[dbrick]

If you are supporting the car on jackstands by the frame with the suspension hanging, the springs are taking up the slack in the ball joints and they will feel tight.. Leave it on the jackstands under the frame, and lift with a jack under the lower ball joint out towards the ball joint until the spindle and control arms rise in relation to the frame, the weight of the car goes on the springs and the lower ball joint is then "unloaded". the springs are no longer pulling the lower arm down and putting the lower ball joint in tension. you don't need to lift much, you will see. Any play will be very apparent if you lift up and down on the spindle. You can also see the free play if you look at the ball joint as you are jacking under the lower control arm just as the tension comes off.

In normal driving, the force of the springs on the lower ball joint is trying to pull the ball out of the socket (tension).

Joints on the 69 are a little loose, ball joints still had plugs, not grease fittings in them and were empty. Filled them up with grease, now not nearly as much play and no shaking on the road.

On the 66, everything was pretty dry, the steering box was loose and filled with Auto Trans fluid. Lubed all I could reach, tightened box and put in 90wt gear oil, much better. haven't jacked it up to check rest of the front end yet.